A cultural festival will be officially kicked off to promote local culture and tourism industry in a prefecture in Tibet Autonomous Region, reported China National Radio.
Lhoka Prefecture, located in southern Tibet, will launch the "2012 Tibet Yarlung Cultural Festival" from August 15 to 21. 　　

Activities such as the opening ceremony, business discussion, themed forums, art performances, culture carnivals, singing contests, Tibetan traditional sports competitions, painting and calligraphy exhibitions and sightseeing will be held.

The week-long festival also includes Tibetan folk song competitions, traditional sports and a group wedding where the brides and bridegrooms will travel the route that Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo toured some 1,300 years ago.

Yalong River, a branch of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which flows across the Lhoka Prefecture, is considered as the birthplace of Tibetans.

Started in 1996, the annual festival has promoted Tibetan culture and boost tourism in the Lhoka Prefecture.